Enemies Unexpected
by VirKatJol
Summary: After Kahlan is taken Richard must race to find her and hope he can save her and their unborn daughter.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Enemies Unexpected

Author: virkatjol

Rating: NC-17 (most chapters PG-PG-13)

Summary: A very pregnant Kahlan must deal with an unexpected issue.

Disclaimer: I don't own them, I wish I did.

A/N: Considering that I write mostly smut with a tad bit of plot writing this took a lot less time than I expected. Thanks so much to pickgems for BETA'ing. You are my lifesaver, and you taste like cherries. I mean wut? Also thanks to the TB Girls for reading as I went and 'oohing' and 'ahhing' in all the right places. Also for giving me immediate feedback and just for being you! I love you all!

**Chapter 1**

The constant shifting of the mattress accompanied by painful sounding groans woke him up. Neither of them had been sleeping well as of late, despite the utter silence that the cabin hidden in the woods surrounding Hartland provided. Their house was peaceful and the tempo of their life there had slowed considerably.

After sealing the rift with the Stone of Tears, Richard and Kahlan had made their way back to Aydindril. They'd been married, almost immediately, and he'd made her his in her large, soft, warm bed. They'd stayed there for days, forgoing the traditional honeymoon. They'd traveled enough and only wanted to be together, in one place. They only answered the door to get food and sometimes to shoo Zedd and Cara off, telling them that they world could wait for them, just this once.

It was the best week of his life.

He turned over to face his wife, the source of the movement and the noise.

"Kahlan?" His hand reached out and touched her arm; she was faced away from him, her naked skin almost all under cover except for her shoulder. "What hurts? Let me help you."

"My back, it's killing me." Kahlan moaned as he scooted closer to her and started digging into her lower back with his thumbs. "Oh, spirits, that feels so good. Don't ever stop."

Richard leaned in and kissed the shoulder that his hand had abandoned. His palms would smooth over either side of her spine, following the massaging action of his thumbs. He used his heels of his hands, pushing away from her spine, trying to loosen all the knots he was finding on her back.

"It won't be much longer, at least." He grinned at the thought. He couldn't wait to meet his daughter.

"I don't know if I want to do this again, Richard. It wasn't fun at all, except for those few months in the middle when I was insatiable with wanting for you." She gasped as his hands moved down further, massaging the top of her ass.

"I thought that you were going to kill me."

Both of them chuckled at how worn out he'd been. They'd moved to the woods after she'd been able to set Dennee up to contact her if anything was needed. They'd wanted to be alone for a while; both of them were aware of how selfish it sounded, but neither of them cared. Saving the world, twice, had earned them a vacation. When they'd discovered that Kahlan was pregnant, they'd waited out the morning sickness and then left to live in Hartland in Richard's cabin. The facilities were simple, but they didn't require anything fancy. They just wanted each other.

"You survived, quiet admirably, in my opinion." She moved the blankets off her body so she could look down at her giant belly while her hands rubbed circles over the skin covering their child. "Look at how huge I am..."

"You're beautiful."

He was so quick with the compliment, but his voice always sounded sincere. She couldn't see what he did when she looked at herself in the mirror. Her face was rounder and her ankles were swollen and the bulge of her stomach made her feel fat and unattractive. Her breasts were larger, and she knew that he liked that. Every time she'd complain about not looking as pretty as she used to, he'd be quick to offer the opposite opinion. She knew he wasn't lying- she could see it in his eyes and it would make her smile and blush like she used to when they first made love.

"One more month..." She turned her head to look back at him, "We meet our daughter in a month."

"I can't wait." He watched her hands moving over the flesh of her stomach. The constant glow that she gave off in her pregnant state made him hard for her all the time. "I know what will make you feel better."

"Your hands are already making me relax."

"My mouth can try to help next." He heard her groan at the innuendo in the suggestion.

She always was able to sleep after a good orgasm, at least for a few hours.

His hands stilled for a minute as he leaned over her to kiss her lips. Despite the awkward angle, their mouths connected in a sweet kiss. Richard pulled back and smiled at her. He placed a palm on her belly and pulled her to lie on her back. His mouth recaptured hers and his tongue entered the kiss. Slowly, he built the heat up in the encounter.

He moved down her jaw, to her ear, murmuring words of love before continuing down the column of her neck. His tongue would flick out and offer a lick in between kisses, and when he reached the base, he sucked on her skin, stopping before leaving a mark. His lips followed her clavicle to her shoulder before heading south to her breasts.

The heavy globes had increased in size and weight over the past 8 months. They barely fit in his hands now, but he loved to try. He kneeled next to her so that he could use both hands with his mouth. Reaching out, he cupped a breast in each hand, flicking his thumbs over her nipples, watching as they hardened under his touch. They were almost always erect now; his hands made them pucker with arousal. Small droplets of milk bubbled up as he teased the tips of her breasts. His mouth hovered over her and he started delicately licking away the liquid.

She gazed at him, watching his tongue tease her nipples. Her hips jerked up, begging for his attention. She could feel the wetness pooling between her legs and she squeezed them together to try to ease the sweet ache that was there. The view of his lips encircling the taut peak made her moan and she saw the milk slowly leaking out of the opposite nipple. Richard noticed too. He moved his head to the second breast and cleaned all over her areola, not leaving a drop let on her skin.

"How does it taste?"

"You're sweet, not like cows milk really." He took the nipple between his lips again and took a long suck, dragging more liquid out. He held it in his mouth and brought his lips to hers, kissing her and letting her taste her own milk. He lingered there, his tongue playing over her teeth and gums and she savored the flavor. He took her bottom lip between his teeth and tugged it, letting it slip through as he pulled away. He pecked her lightly once more before descending down her body.

Pausing on her stomach, he danced over the baby with his lips; he spoke words of love and encouragement to their daughter as he meandered around the large bump towards her sex.

Kahlan lost sight of his head as her lowered himself between her legs, her belly covering everything except his arms and shoulders.

"You make me lose control even faster now that I can't watch what you're doing down there." She spoke the words softly as she felt the first brush of his lips over her folds. He voice was lost then all that escaped her throat was little grunts and moans of pleasure.

He was licking around her clit, never giving her the direct contact she craved to fly over the edge of orgasm. She felt his tongue pressing up and around the little nub, using a quick pressure right at the base and then traveling back down the other side, circling, never stopping. The little organ was engorged in blood and she knew that as soon as he used his mouth on the tiny head, she would fall into the abyss of pleasure.

"I want to, Richard."

"What do you want?" He chuckled and his tongue left the top of her slit and he heard her issue a protest. He plunged it into her sheath, juices coating his tongue as he pushed it in and out of her, drinking in more of her essence, enjoying the taste in his mouth. Her body was ready; it was humming with the need for release. He could feel her internal muscles gripping his tongue and pulsing around it, trying to pull him further into her body.

"Oh, spirits, I want..." She felt his breath on her clit then. He was anticipating her request, she knew that as soon as she asked he'd make it happen. His lips hovered over the tight bundle of nerves, waiting to suckle on it and send her towards ecstasy. "To come."

He placed her clit between his lips and suckled it. As his tongue teased over the tip, he entered her body with two fingers all at once. He heard her scream his name and thought, for the hundredth time, how good it was they were far away from town and other houses. Her body bucked up into his as she clamped down on his fingers. He didn't let up, continuing to tease her clit until he felt her body relax and her release coming to completion.

She sighed in sleepy relief and felt her body slackening throughout. All the tight and sore muscles were now relaxed; the endorphin high was shooting though her veins. She could feel her eyelids starting to droop. Blinking hard, she tried to force herself back into wakefulness. Richard still needed to be taken care of. She felt him first, as he kissed his way up and over her belly, their eyes connecting when he cleared the hump.

"Feeling better, baby?" He kissed her belly button and then moved up to lie beside her.

"Mmm..." She grabbed for one of his hands and squeezed it. "'S wonderful. So sleepy."

He pulled the blankets back over them and rested their hands on top of her belly. He kissed around her neck and ear, rubbing his nose in her hair and inhaling her scent. His tongue tasted the hint of salt from the slight sweat her climax had caused. He craved more of her.

"Go to sleep, Kahlan."

"But... you..." She yawned, interrupting herself.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be ok. You need your rest." He propped himself up on an elbow and kissed her forehead.

"S'alright... I love you."

Then Kahlan was fast asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Deep in the Hartland woods, the forest was dense. Richard had come up to hunt some deer, rabbits and maybe a bear if he was lucky. Their food supplies were dwindling and he didn't want to be away from Kahlan more than necessary after the baby was born. The sun flickered through the canopy in places, but the majority of his walk was in almost night like blackness.

He'd left Kahlan that morning, kissing her lips as she mumbled sleepily at him not to be gone too long and drifted back into sleep. He'd told her he would be back to cook supper. Richard left a cold selection of fruits and juice by the bed for her breakfast and then prepared her a lunch before leaving. He didn't want her to overexert herself so he did simple things that allowed her to stay off her feet.

The sound of a flock of birds taking off from a nearby tree startled him out of his thoughts and brought him back to the task at hand. He looked around at the trees and brush and found a set of deer tracks. Picking up their trail he started to track the animal. He hoped to make a good kill soon so that he could head back to the cabin. Richard got his mind back on hunting and let thoughts of Kahlan in their quaint home slip to the back; he'd revive them for the journey home.

Kahlan was startled from her sleep by fingers forcing a wadded up piece of cloth into her mouth. She struggled to sit up, but her large belly prevented her from moving very quickly. Normally a sharp warrior, months of no danger had made her softer and unsuspecting.

Her power never weakened.

Her hands reached out, aiming for the neck of the nearest attacker. She heard him yell to another to hurry but it was too late for him.

In an instant the man was confessed. Her magic flowed into him; his soul now belonged to her. She heard a clicking sound and felt the suppression of her power before her mind could register that they'd just placed a Rada'han around her neck. She went to pull at the gag; she needed to order the confessed man to help her, but something was stopping her.

They'd bound her hands.

In the haze of post confession they'd managed to tie ropes around her wrists.

She watched as one of the men drew his sword and ran it through the man she'd taken. His blood splattered across the bed and floor. She cringed at the thought of Richard coming home to find this mess. Kahlan had been hoping that they'd let him live, but she should have realized they weren't that foolish. They'd managed to capture her. She knew that they weren't going to be easy to outwit.

She tugged and yanked and tried to twist them apart, but the binding was too secure and the rough rope just dug deeper into her flesh.

One of the men attached a leash type piece to the rope on her wrists and pulled her roughly out of bed. The cold air hit her skin and reminded her that she was naked. She tried to cover her nudity with her hands, but it was impossible with them tied together and her belly in the way.

"Nice, boys!" One of the men called the rest of them in to look at her.

"We could have some fun with her after we get that baby!"

The suggestions of what would be done with her after she gave birth began to fly around the room. Vile ideas being volleyed back and forth, she tried to close her mind to the things that they were saying. She needed to be strong for her child and for Richard.

She was the Mother Confessor, wife of The Seeker, a woman with dignity. These men had no right to treat her, or anyone, like that. She decided then to stand proud, to ignore their looks and verbal jabs. If they got a rise out of her it would escalate. That's what they wanted, to hurt her, but she wasn't going to let them.

"Better put something on her." The leader of the group barked orders at the other men, "a naked woman in the woods or walking through a town is going to cause concern."

She watched as the men tore through her clothes, finding a frock they could tie around her so they didn't have to unbind her hands. Their fingers brushing over her skin as they dressed her made her feel nauseous. She'd only been naked in front of Richard since she was a child and old enough to dress and bathe herself. At least after they were done she had some cover for her body.

"Grab some of her things." He ordered the rest around again, "Then get her on a horse."

Kahlan shook her head at the thought of riding a horse. She hadn't been on one for months. She'd had some spotting issues and they'd decided not to press their luck and she stayed home or they walked.

"We can't make time on foot. You have to ride." He'd noticed her silent protest and shoved her on the back towards the door. "You'll be on that horse, make it easy on yourself and mount up by the time I get out there. I've got a note to leave your husband."

She watched him over her shoulder as she was dragged out of the room. He was at the table penning a note to Richard. She wanted to know what it said. Who were these people? What did they want with her and the baby? She felt the tears tracking down her cheeks at the thought of their child with them.

The horses were all tied to their fence; they angled her towards a sturdy looking gelding and offered to help her mount up. She took their assistance and settled into the saddle. Her horse was tied to one of their horses, so she couldn't try to gallop off, even if she would risk something like that with her hands tied together and the pregnancy.

They only waited a few minutes until the man in charge stepped out of the house and mounted his own horse, and then they were off.

She hoped that Richard could follow them. She looked up at the sky. It wasn't past mid morning, and he wasn't going to be back until before dinner. Her spirits were already falling; they'd be so far ahead of him and it would be dark when he discovered she was gone. She wanted to weep. Instead she steadied her nerves and began thinking of a way to escape.

Think of the solution, not the problem. She kept chanting it over and over in her head as they galloped away from her home, her husband and her safety.

The sun was just starting to reach the horizon when Richard stepped through the door. He had a bad feeling when he was approaching the cabin- the door was slightly ajar and it wasn't normal for Kahlan to be so careless. He called her name as he entered. Looking around, he noticed the mud tracked along the floor leaving marks that were larger then her feet.

"Kahlan!" He walked through the main room and into the bedroom. His stomach dropped out of his body when he saw the mess in their room. The dead man on the floor eased his mind about whose blood was covering the bed. Her clothes were tossed around, and the meal he'd prepared for her breakfast laid untouched. "Oh, spirits, I've lost so much time."

He raced back out to the outer room; a flash of white caught his eye.

A note.

He drew a deep breath and walked over to read it.

_iSeeker,_

_We have your wife. Some very influential people have use for your child. We will return the Mother Confessor after she provides us with what we need unless something u__unfortunate__ /uhappens to her in the meantime. She's far enough along for the baby to survive without her. _

_Do not try to follow./i_

Richard dropped the note back on the table. His wife and unborn child were miles away. He had no idea who would dare kidnap Kahlan, but he had to start out after them tonight. There was no way in the underworld that he wasn't going to follow them. When he finds them, they will pay.

He could feel the rage from the sword flow through his body, fortifying his resolve. He moved into action, packing up food and water, clothes for Kahlan and the baby, and added medicinal and wound treatment supplies. He didn't want to think about the state he was going to find her in, let alone their daughter. He hated the idea that she'd be riding a horse, hard, across Westland. He hoped that the activity didn't induce her into early labor.

Richard took a last look at the cabin before securing the door and jumping on his horse. He quickly picked up the trail, but knew he'd lose it soon with the light disappearing from the sky rapidly.

They'd made no effort to cover their tracks; at least he had that on his side. He sent up a prayer that she was safe, and set off at a gallop.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Kahlan felt the first twinge of a muscle cramp around her stomach in the mid-afternoon of the second day. When they'd stopped for the night, she'd checked and there hadn't been any blood. It was the only thing that she was grateful for. She'd slept more poorly then normal on the hard, cold ground. Besides being chilled, her body couldn't take sleeping on the earth anymore; it caused her already aching muscles to kink and seize up, making her waking hours more exhausting. She also missed the warmth of Richard's arms, the heat of his body sleeping next to hers, the sound of his breathing as he slept deeply, the way she woke up to his smile in the morning.

Even if she'd been able to fall into a restful sleep, she was kicked awake before the sun had risen. The spot on her back that the toe of his boot had connected with still throbbed, hours later.

Thankfully, the cramp dissipated after a few minutes. She tried to count in her head, keeping track of the time between the pain. It seemed, to her, not to be too close in proximity. She wasn't sure where they were or even where they were going. Most of the ride was spent in silence. Sometimes one of them would toss a rude remark back at her, but the men seemed to purposely refrain from conversation.

She was sure that they'd passed into the Midlands at some point that morning. The plant life began to change and the landscape was becoming more open and plains-like instead of wooded. She thought that she could start to make out the lines of the mountains against the horizon, but the clouds and distance made it impossible to know for sure. They were, however, staying on the paths less traveled, staying away from main roads and heavily populated towns. The last thing the men wanted was for someone to recognize that they were holding the Mother Confessor hostage.

Richard had tried to travel through the night. The fact that they'd been careless about their trail was helpful; however, the sky doused everything in inky, black, darkness. He didn't want to injure his horse so he set up camp under the first wayward pine he could find. He'd slept restlessly, barely closing his eyes, worrying about Kahlan and their daughter.

As soon as the sun began to make the sky gray, he set off. The trail was a day old now. He was feeling lucky that they didn't attempt to mask it, or it would have been completely gone by now. As it were, he kept taking wrong turns and had to double back; the animals passing over the tracks, breaking through the woods and his tiredness were throwing him off. He needed to concentrate.

By the time the sun reached its pinnacle his horse was starting to show fatigue. He was going to have to stop and get another one. He hoped that they were feeling comfortable with the huge lead that they had on him and slowed down today.

Richard stopped in the town of Ephaedan and found the local livery. He made sure that the Sword of Truth was visible and went in to bargain with the blacksmith that ran the stable. He'd found that people were less likely to try to swindle him if he made it obvious that he was the Seeker. It was widely known that he and the Mother Confessor had gone off to start their family in peace before she took over the duty of running the Midlands and he took over the throne of D'Hara. Both of them had left trusted friends in charge: Dennee in Aydindril and Zedd and Cara at the People's Palace. Kahlan and Richard hadn't been seen outside of a few locals in Hartland in months.

The blacksmith turned to greet him and was startled when he saw the sword and recognized his face.

"Aburl Giles here, are you really Richard Cypher?"

"Yes." Richard didn't have time to chat, "I need a horse. Mine is tired. We've been traveling since dawn after picking our way through the woods last night. I'll need one with lots of stamina and heart." He approached the man and looked into his eyes. He needed him to understand how important this was. "They have my wife. I need to get her back."

Giles put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. He could see how broken then man was without her. The Seeker still needed his Confessor, long after their quest had been completed. Even a blind man would be able to see it.

"I've got just the horse for you. Come on, son." He pulled him to the back into the stable yard.

Richard looked as they passed rows of horses tied in their smallish stalls. Some of them were happily munching on sweet smelling hay, while the others were standing sleepily having finished their lunch more quickly. All of the animals looked content and healthy. He was glad that he'd stopped here.

"Here she is." Aburl stopped behind a large chestnut mare. "This girl has a lot of fire and will run for you till she drops over dead. Doesn't know when to quit."

The big mare, seemingly, knew they were talking about her and tilted her head back to look at Richard. She nickered softly to him and he entered the tie stall, rubbing her back and legs as he made his way to greet the horse. She bumped his hand with her nose and went back to lazing her afternoon away.

"I'll take her." Richard unclipped her from the stall, letting the chain clang against the manger, and backed her into the aisle. He led her out to the stable yard and heard Aburl bark orders to have the livery boys move his tack to the new animal.

"Her name is Hellfire." At the expression on the Seekers face he barked out a laugh and continued, "She wasn't always this willing. It took me years to reason with her. She earned that name, and it will serve you well as you go after your wife."

Richard reached into his pocket and pulled out money to pay for the horse.

"I'll not be taking any of that from you. Don't bother protesting." He smiled and walked back toward his shop front. "Just get the Mother Confessor home safely. The world needs her and so do you." He waved as he closed the door behind him.

When the boys were done moving his tack and things he jumped on Hellfire and trotted out of town. As soon as he was past the city limits he raced back to pick up the trail again. Aburl was right, this horse could move. She was more than willing to speed in any direction he wanted.

The burning in her throat wouldn't go away. She'd been gagged for a day and a half now and without water soon she thought that she would pass out from dehydration. The sun was constantly beating down on them as they rode through the open prairies and farmers fields. Her legs were beginning to cramp without enough water in her system. She needed to keep her muscle loose and supple so the baby wouldn't come yet.

Kahlan made a couple sounds to get one of them to look at her. When she saw one glance back, she made a motion that she needed something to drink. He just laughed at her.

"When we stop. If you're good, we'll give you a little water." He turned his attention back to the road.

She knew that they would be stopping soon. The sun was inching closer and closer to the horizon and they hadn't traveled in the dark yet. At least they had slowed their pace; another day of constant galloping would have caused her more trouble. The trotting and walking that they'd been doing for the last few hours made the ride more bearable. Her stomach had ceased its cramping with the change. She was sure that they knew of her impending labor if the speed hadn't changed and they didn't seem to want the baby yet. All she could hope was that Richard would find her in time or that she could figure out how to steal the key to the Rada'han.

"We're stopping here for the night."

Kahlan pulled her focus to see where they were. A nice grove of fruit trees had appeared, and the men were dismounting and hobbling the horses. One of the men reached for her and pulled her from the horse, setting her on the ground by where they'd be making the fire.

"I'll take out the gag, but if you scream, it's going back in and then you can't drink anything. You must be dying of thirst."

Kahlan nodded her agreement; screaming wasn't going to do her any good now, and she needed the water. There wasn't a choice.

"Thank you." She choked out, her voice rough and hoarse. She reached for the water skein that he handed her. She took small even sips, not wanting to make herself nauseous after being without liquid for so long. The burning in her throat eased and her body seemed to sigh with relief as it absorbed the fluid.

She hoped that they wouldn't gag her again. Her jaw was sore from being held open and her lips were chapped and chaffed from the cloth that was tied too tightly. She knew that they would be watching her closely right now. She needed them to let their guards down and so she decided she wouldn't speak unless they asked her a direct question.

The water skein seemed to empty all too quickly. She looked around for another and went to grab it. The hand that crossed her face was unexpected and knocked her over, sprawling her across the dirt. Her bound hands went to her cheek to try to rub away the ache, as she sat back up, clumsily.

"Don't take things that aren't yours. You're not the Mother Confessor here. You're our captive. Don't forget that."

Forgetting herself, she couldn't help but spit back a retort.

"I'm always the Mother Confessor. Don't you forget that. You will pay for your treason."

The hand became a fist the second time it connected with her. The pain spread across her jaw. She knew there would be a bruise. She sat up again and just glared at him, daring him to strike her again.

"Hey!" One of the others yelled over at the man who'd struck her. "Don't damage her too much. She needs to be conscious."

The man who hit her growled at the one who issued the warning, then turned to her.

"Don't push me, witch." Kicking dirt at her, he turned and left.

She saw him say something to one of the men and then go sit against a tree at the edge of the camp. She assumed that he volunteered for first watch. By tomorrow they should start putting more than one man on watch. She wouldn't mention that to them, however. She was sure that Richard would be close to catching them by tomorrow. She knew that one man on watch would make it easy for him to sneak in to kill them. She smiled at the thought of her captures dying by the sword. She knew that the rage would be overwhelming to Richard as soon as he grasped the handle to take them all out.

Kahlan wanted to watch them die. They wanted her baby. She wanted them dead.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Traveling was become more painful, but at least she was no longer gagged and could drink water. They'd even offered her some bread, but only after she'd fainted and almost fallen off the horse. It was the first time she'd been glad she wasn't riding on her own; the man leading her had stopped her from hitting the hard ground. She rubbed circles over her stomach thinking about how much damage a fall from a horse would do to her child.

The cramps had started up again on the third day riding and hadn't let up. She knew that she was close to being forced into labor. She could feel how restless the baby was becoming, moving around as her muscles forced her into position. If she was right, she was sure that tomorrow she'd get to meet her daughter.

She hadn't spoken or complained yet, but she knew that unless she wanted to give birth in the middle of a field, without any medical supplies, she'd have to talk to someone about it.

"Hey." Meekly she addressed the man leading her. She didn't know any of their names, and was sure that that was how they wanted it. He looked over his shoulder at her and nodded for her to speak. "With all this riding... I'm..."

Kahlan choked back a sob, she didn't want to show any sort of weakness to them, but the thought of being alone while having the baby made her want to weep. She was terrified of what would go wrong, and she needed Richard there. She wasn't going to get her wish. She knew how excited he was to be there when their daughter entered the world, and it broke her heart that he wouldn't get to experience the miracle.

"Speak up!" He was harsh and he saw her jump as he barked at her.

"I'm going to have the baby soon. Probably tomorrow, but it could be earlier." She rushed the words, forcing her throat to push them across her lips. She felt a drop hit her breast and looked up to see if it was raining before realizing that she was crying. She quickly wiped her eyes and tried to harness her emotions.

"I'll let them know. We'll have to stop." He yelled the information to his buddies, and then turned back to her. "It will be nice to not have to worry about hauling you around." With a chuckle he urged the horses into a trot as they changed directions slightly.

Richard was exhausted. He knew that he was gaining on them; that was the only thing that lifted his spirits. He could move more quickly alone and Hellfire seemed impossible to tire. She happily traveled until Richard couldn't see with the blackness of the night and was fresh, ready and eager when the sky started to lighten at dawn. He'd only had to double back a few times, since the trail was cleaner the more he closed the gap.

"I think we're only a few hours behind them now, girl. Half a day at the most." He'd been talking to the horse to take his mind off of what might be happening to Kahlan. She seemed to be receptive to his conversation but left him without a reaction most of the time.

Richard stopped at the stream to fill up his skeins and let the mare drink. The sun was hot and he dunked his head into the creek, letting the cool water run down his back and chest. He tried to rub the sleep from his eyes, but no matter how hard he tried, he was still sluggish and tired. Rest had become impossible; he was so sick with worry. While he understood he needed to sleep, he couldn't make his body listen. His mind was full of the awful scenarios that he'd find when he caught them.

Drawing in a deep breath, he waited for Hellfire to finish drinking, then mounted back up and asked for a canter along the trail. Because they were moving through plains made it easier where the crushed grasses and plants from the large group allowed him to track without much effort.

They didn't seem too concerned about being caught. The fact that the Seeker was after them and they weren't worried made him more fearful for the life of his love and his baby. He had to find them and fast.

Her scream tore through the group.

All the men looked back and saw her hunched over in the saddle, her bound hands held against her stomach.

"We're almost there!" The leader turned to the man in charge of Kahlan, "Make sure she doesn't fall off!"

The group broke into a gallop. She moaned as her stomach was jostled, the pressure between her legs becoming unbearable. The night had been full of her moans and groans when dismounting and lying down hadn't stopped the awful tightening of her belly. The other days, an hour of not riding had stopped the cramping.

She saw a small house appear over the horizon, and they seemed to be heading right towards it. She tried to even her breathing before panic set in. She had to be strong for the baby. No matter how scared she was, she had no choice.

Another hard cramp hit her and she felt liquid running down her legs.

She cried out at her water breaking. The baby was coming. She was going to meet the world today.

They skidded to a stop outside the cabin and one of them was pulling her from the saddle and carrying her inside. Normally she would have protested. She was in so much pain that she didn't have the energy to attempt to walk on her own. He held onto her as she was hit with another contraction, making her almost double over as she arched forward.

"Don't do anything yet." The man whispered to her. "Wait until we're inside."

She bit her lip and nodded, tears were streaming down her face as she made an effort to control her need to push against something.

Her back hit the floor and she felt them take off her dress. She wanted to grip something, but her hands were still tied.

"Untie me, untie me, untie me... please..." she begged them. She didn't want to beg them; it humiliated her to have to ask for anything. She needed her hands though. She didn't have Richard, but she could imagine him there, with her, gripping tightly to one of her hands, if they were free.

Her desperation to have her hands, the fact that she was controlled by Rada'Han and in labor must have made them feel something for her because her hands were freed. Both of her hands felt sluggish after the days of poor circulation. They clawed at the dirt as she groaned and writhed in pain.

It felt like forever, laying there naked in the middle of a random house in a place she knew nothing of, with men who'd taken her from her home, her husband, a life that she loved.

It had to be hours since they'd arrived, maybe only minutes, but the pain was clouding her mind. She looked around, however, none of them made a move to assist her. They probably don't know what to do, she thought. Richard, if he were here, he would know.

She closed her eyes and tried to bring up the picture of him helping her sister deliver her child. He was so sweet and innocent, protecting the baby with everything he had. He had no idea about male confessors; he just knew that he'd brought a life into the world, and to Richard, that wasn't something that should be destroyed. He valued it. Always.

When she opened her eyes again, he was there. She smiled at him and heard him tell her it was all going to be ok. She could barely feel him holding her hand, but she saw it.

She strained to listen to his voice. The rest of the world faded from her mind. She focused on Richard. He was talking to her, telling her something, what was it?

_iPush, Kahlan, push. Bring our daughter into the world. You can do it, baby./i_

Her head fell back and she screamed. She didn't understand how. Looking back to Richard, she heard him.

_iNext time you feel the contraction, push, use it to help get her out. You need to get her out./i_

Okay, she could do that. Richard was here. She could do anything with him. She drew in deep breaths and waited for the next contraction to begin. How did he get here? She didn't get a chance to think about that then because the pain overwhelmed her and she leaned up and pushed like he said.

That's when she felt it, the extreme pressure between her legs. She knew that their child was in position to enter the world.

The baby was coming. She could do this.

Kahlan kept pushing. The contractions seemed to be almost constant now, but she could feel the baby moving out of her body. She screamed with the pain every time, but quickly began using the cramping in her uterus to push the baby out.

iAlmost there, baby, I can see her head./i

Richard's soft words soothed her. The ache that seemed to linger on her whole body dampened when he spoke. She nodded to him and bore down hard the next time.

She felt it then, the baby's head emerging.

iOne more, Kahlan. You're so brave, my love./i

She drew in a deep breath and used all her energy to push.

It was over.

She heard the cries of her daughter and smiled. She'd done it. She looked over to Richard, but he wasn't there. She only saw one of the men glowering at her.

One of the men stepped between her legs and picked up the baby. Kahlan held out her arms for her, but they ignored her.

"Looks like we have what we need. We can go." He motioned for the men to grab their things.

"My baby." Kahlan cried out. "Give me my baby!"

"She's ours now, witch."

"NO!" Her head flipped back with her rage. Her exhausted body shook as her magic bubbled up around her. Her ears were deafened by it, and all the sounds of the world seemed to disappear. They wouldn't take her child.

The clanging of the Rada'han hitting the ground startled then men.

"How'd she get that off?" The ones left in the room looked from one another and then back at the Mother Confessor. Her eyes were red.

"You're all mine." She reached out her hand and confessed the three men in the room. "Die."

Then she collapsed as her body shut down.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

He was so close he could practically smell her. He could feel the rage almost boiling over every time he touched the sword to check that it was there and ready. He could tell that the group had hastened and he was worried about why.

He came upon a spot where it looked like they paused. Glancing around, he studied the ground and noticed a spot in the trampled grass that looked wet. Dismounting the horse he let her graze as he jogged over to inspect it.

"Spirits, no!" Richard vaulted back onto the horse, yanking her head up and spurring her on. "Kahlan's in labor, mare, we have to hurry."

The horse seemed to understand his meaning and dug in deeper, pulling from her endless reserve of energy.

He heard the noises before he could see the house. The primal screams of his wife sent a chill up his spine and he spurred the horse asking for more. The wind whipped his hair around and burned his eyes as he rode, making them water. The house appeared in the distance and there seemed to be a lot of commotion.

He drew the sword, letting the anger roll through him. His veins burned from the rage brought on by the magic. He saw a single rider racing away from the house as he skidded to a stop and dismounted. He ran through the door and stopped. He watched his naked wife collapse and the three men surrounding her all followed.

"Kahlan!" He dropped the sword as he ran to check on her. Kneeling at her side, his fingers went to her neck, finding a weak but steady pulse. He sighed with relief, yanked off his shirt and gently covered her with it. He stood and went to check the other men. All of them were dead.

He ran out to grab the supplies from his saddlebags, fumbling with the leather that held them to the saddle. It seemed like forever until he got them undone. She was losing blood and he needed to hurry. Her skin looked pale and her lips were chapped. The bruise that was shaped like a fist on her jaw made him have to breathe deeply to calm the fury that begged to be released. He wished that those men weren't dead. He needed to unleash the sword on someone.

Running back in, he almost fell over one of the bodies. He stumbled over to his wife and pulled his shirt off her. He saw the blood seeping from between her legs and kneeled between the to examine her. He wasn't a doctor, but he knew about her anatomy. He could see a small tear and used the cool water and a clean cloth that he pulled from his bag to clean her up.

He could see her stomach still cramping; he must have just missed the birth.

Where was the baby?

"Kahlan." He moved up by her head. "Kahlan, I need you to wake up." He grabbed the water and propped her up, putting the skein to her lips. Her eyelids were fluttering and she seemed to be trying to awaken. He dribbled the water down her throat. The condition of her lips and the way her skin looked tight and rough told him that they hadn't been keeping her hydrated.

His lips touched her forehead.

"Richard?" Her voice cracked and she reached up to grip the hand holding the water to her mouth. "Are you really here?"

He kissed her lips to prove that he was there. He set the water down and pulled her into his lap, enclosing her in his arms. He held her tightly and she began to cry. Her body was shaking with the force of her tears.

"They have her." She moaned out the words, "They took our baby, I couldn't protect her, Richard. I tried, I swear I tried!"

"Shhh, Kahlan." He kissed the top of her head as she squeezed him to her, using all the strength she had left to hold on to him. "It's not your fault. Don't think that. There wasn't anything you could do."

"I went into Con'dar." She was breathing erratically as she remembered, "I couldn't stop the one who had our baby. I didn't mean to lose her. I didn't!"

"I know, I know, Shhh." Richard started rocking her back and forth trying to calm her down. "We'll get her back, I promise."

The rage was returning. He'd never seen her like this. She'd never been this distraught before. He started to let her go; he needed to tend to her wounds and get her dressed so she wouldn't get cold and go into shock.

"No!" She yelled as he started to let her down. "Don't let go please. Don't leave me too!"

"I won't leave you. I just want to treat your injuries." He put his hands on her face, looking into her eyes. His mouth touched hers and gently kissed around the purple bruise that marred her lovely jaw. "They hurt you. I'm not going anywhere, I need to make sure that you're okay." He saw her nod and she let out a shaky breath. "Okay?"

"Yes." She reached for one of his hands and held tightly to it. "Can I hold your hand, like when the baby was coming?"

It would be harder to examine her with only one hand, but she needed the connection. He didn't know what she meant; he wasn't here for the birth, and he swallowed back a cry at the thought. He couldn't think about the fact that he wasn't here for her.

"Hold as tightly as you need to." He pulled a persimmon out of the bag and handed it to her. "Eat this. It's got a lot of juice in it, and you need something in your stomach. You don't look like you've eaten in days."

She was shivering already as she bit into the fruit. Her body was shutting down on her and she couldn't get warm. The sweet taste on her tongue did little to shake her from her slide into shock. She ate it automatically; Richard told her to do it, so she did. She held tightly to his hand, her fingers locking with his. He was her lifeline right now and she couldn't release him. She rolled over when he asked and he rubbed a salve on the bruise on her back. At one point he asked her to push more, she wasn't sure why, but the cramping in her stomach seemed to lessen after he was done between her legs. After finishing the fruit, there was some bread in her hands, which she ate, then finished by a skein of water. Everything was done without a thought beyond that Richard had given it to her.

"I need to start a fire and get you warm." Richard leaned down and kissed her lips. "I have to let go of you to do it, but I'll stay in the room. You'll be able to see me." He pointed to the fireplace and the small pile of wood. He stroked her hair and made her look into his eyes. "I love you, Kahlan, I will inot/i leave you. Do you understand?"

She drew in a few deep, calming breaths, focusing on his eyes, and trying to draw strength from him. She nodded and loosened her grip on his fingers. Her eyes never left his as he backed over to the fireplace. When he turned to start the fire, her breathing started to speed up, but she managed to grab hold of it and force her heart to slow down. Kahlan pulled her knees up to her chest, the pain in her belly forgotten as she collapsed in on herself.

He looked back and saw her mind trying to leave him again.

"What are we going to name her?" Richard needed her to stay with him. He didn't know if he could pull her back if he let her slip into a depression.

"I was thinking Mary or Taralyn, after one of your mothers." Kahlan's lips threatened a smile when he looked back at her.

The fire was catching and he tossed some more kindling and hung the large pot next to it on there. He'd seen a well right outside.

"Those are both lovely ideas. Are you sure that you don't want to name her after your mother?" Her head shook at the idea. He walked back to her and pulled her green blanket out of his pack, draping it around her shoulders. The heat permeating the room seemed to be helping her. "I need to get water." He saw her face fall, the smile that was there, gone. "You can come with me." He held out his hand and helped her up but her legs didn't want to work. "I think it will be best if you lie down."

"I don't want you to leave me." The panic was rising from her chest again. She'd thought that he wasn't going to leave, but now he wanted to go out of the house. "Please, please, please..." She chanted over and over.

"It's okay. Here, put your arm around my waist. We'll walk to the well together." Kahlan did as he requested and he grabbed a bucket by the door on the way out. It was slow going at first, but they made it. He filled the large bucket with water and then hauled it back in, never letting her go.

"Thank you." She breathed with relief.

Richard set the water down by the fireplace and angled her to the bed that was in the corner. The bastards had tossed her on the floor to give birth. They hadn't even allowed her the smallest comfort. He felt it again, the rage, and quickly brought it under his control. Kahlan needed his focus right now; he couldn't worry about their daughter. He needed to care for his wife.

He went about getting the water heated to clean her up more thoroughly. He gave her a nice sponge bath while she laid on the bed, while she watched him as he rubbed away the dirt, grime and blood. Her eyes were drooping as she drifted off to sleep under his ministrations.

When she was clean he pulled her nightgown from the pack and dressed her in it. He brushed out her hair and drew shapes on her back until he heard the even, deep breathing of her slumber. Then he got up, very slowly, not wanting to jostle her awake, and cleaned up the cabin. He picked up the afterbirth, tossing it out into the forest, thinking how good it was that he arrived soon enough that she didn't retain any of it. He heaved out the three dead men rolling them into the underbrush at the edge of the woods. She didn't need to wake up and be reminded of what they'd done to her. He washed all the towels in the extra water and hung them to dry, cleaning all the blood off the floor then dumping the dirty water out the window. He turned towards the door and locked it, moving one of the chairs in front of it for extra security.

Darkness was swallowing the earth and Richard added more wood to the fire. He stripped out of his clothes and crawled in behind her. He pulled the blanket around him and spooned her into his chest. His arm curled protectively over her stomach. He breathed in the scent of her hair and heard her murmur his name as he drifted off to sleep. Both of them were exhausted and they would plan what to do in the morning. The people who had their daughter wanted her for a reason; he wasn't worried about them killing her.

The men who held her should be worried about them. Tomorrow would begin their hunt for revenge. The Seeker and Mother Confessor never lost. They had no idea who they were dealing with. He couldn't wait to show them.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

The elbow connecting with his ribs woke him. He sat up quickly, glancing down at Kahlan. She was still asleep, but her arms and legs were moving around. His hand started stroking her hair and he whispered soothing words to her, not getting his face too close to her in case an errant hand caught him. Getting knocked out wouldn't do her any good.

She settled back into sleep, his voice and touch seemed to calm her. He could only imagine what she was seeing in her mind's eye.

The sun was sparkling though the small window on the east side of the house. The beam of light twinkled across the floor. He guessed that it was a couple hours past dawn. Despite everything, it was the most rest he'd gotten in days, holding Kahlan against him all night had helped put some of his heart back together.

Carefully, he slid out of the small bed and pulled on his pants. Using the embers that were still hot from last nights fire, he got fire blazing again. He went to the door, looking back at his wife, making sure she was still asleep, and then went outside to get more water and to haul in more wood from the stack along the house.

On the second trip to gather water he heard her yelling his name. He dropped the bucket, spilling the water across the ground, and raced back in.

"Kahlan, I'm right here." He skidded to a stop in front of the bed and kneeled down in front of her, clasping both her hands in his. "I'm not going to leave you. I'm right here." He could see the tear streaks on her face. He should have known better than to leave her in here alone.

"I woke up." She tried to choke back a sob, but it escaped. She looked away from him embarrassed by her lack of emotional control. "You weren't here. I thought... I thought that you'd left me here."

"I'm sorry." He climbed up onto the bed, propped his back against the wall and pulled her into his lap, and wrapped his arms around her. "I should have woken you." He kissed her hair and forehead as he apologized for being so careless.

"S'okay... I don't know why I'm such a mess."

Her body seemed to curl up into a tighter ball within his embrace, her head tucked into the crook of his neck.

"You've just given birth, your body was abused for days, you haven't have much sleep, and someone has stolen our baby. You have every right to be distraught." He tipped her chin up so he could kiss her, then he rested his forehead against hers, rubbing their noses together in eskimo kisses.

They just sat on the bed together, his arms never loosening their hold on her until she went to get up. As she moved to stand and stretch she let out a hissing sound and her hands went to her breasts.

"What's wrong?" He watched as she pulled the nightgown off her body. The sight before him took his breath away. She was so beautiful, even after everything she'd been through.

"I never got to nurse..." She looked away in shame. She didn't even get to feed their child before they took her. She was a terrible mother; she should have been able to stop them.

"Kahlan." He could see her slipping back. "It's not your fault."

"But-"

"Whatever you were just thinking about. It is inot/i your fault." Richard followed her up and his hands went to her breasts, cupping them as gently as he could. He could feel how swollen they were and the milk was beading on her nipples. Her body knew that it was supposed to be supporting a new life. He wanted to cry at the situation they were in, but knew that he had to be strong, for her.

"They hurt." Her brow wrinkled and she bit her lip, not sure what to do. "I want to nurse the baby when we get her back." She felt a tear slip down her cheek, "If we don't do something, I'll dry up."

"We need to relieve the pressure." Richard smiled at her before leaning down to kiss her. He kept the kiss sweet and chaste, only sliding his lips along hers and then leaving her mouth. His lips made a delicate trail along her jaw, stopping by her ear to tell her that he loved her. He feasted on the column of her neck, flicking his tongue along her skin and stopping at the hollow of her throat to suck on her skin. His mouth followed the slope of her chest down to her right breast, lips and tongue making a trail to her nipple.

He took the hard bud into his mouth and began to suckle. He listened as she groaned from the pain and pleasure, almost one in the same. He wasn't getting much milk expressed, not more then he had the last time they'd made love, so he increased the pressure on his suction.

"Ahhh..." Kahlan cried out. She felt like a dam had broken. She watched him at her breast, trying to ease the physical pain that their missing child had left her with. One of her hands went to his head and massaged his scalp as he suckled on her. The beauty and selfless love of his actions helped leaven a small part of the sadness that was pressing all around her. It should be their daughter drinking from her breast; her husband shouldn't have to do this. The tears that began to flow shouldn't have surprised her, but they did. She cried for the time they were missing getting to know their child, for Richard having to, again, shoulder so much of the burden, and a few of the tears were joyous, marveling at how much she was loved.

His mouth was flooded with her sweet tasting milk. He swallowed down the liquid, not wanting to waste the nutrition her body had provided by spitting it on the ground. The thought of her milk soaking into the wood planks that made up the floor made him sick. He'd drink what was meant for his daughter, until she was able to do it herself. When the flow seemed to lessen, he moved to the other breast. Her left one was quicker to express the milk and seemed to empty more quickly. He took one last pull on her nipple and released it.

"Does that feel better?" Richard cupped her face and ran his thumb lightly over her cheek, wiping away the lingering wetness that her tears had left.

"Yes." She leaned into him and settled against his chest. "Thank you."

"There isn't anything to thank me for." His hands were roaming over her back as he let her melt into him.

"There is so much to thank you for." She kissed his neck and sighed as her body relaxed against his. "The fact that you don't realize that makes me love you even more."

Richard sat her down on the bed and picked up her nightgown, helping her slip it back on.

"I'm going to go finish getting some food together. Are you going to be okay?"

The concern in his eyes touched her heart and made her want to weep with how this had affected him. He was hurting more then he was showing and all he cared about was if she was alright.

"Yes. I am feeling a little more rational after a decent nights sleep."

He shot her a smile and went back to doing the chores and making her food. She was already coming back to him. He knew that it was going to be a rocky ride for both of them. After he got some food in her and a hot bath, they could start planning how to get their daughter back.

He felt the fury flowing through him. The men who had taken the two things most precious in his life would pay with their lives. He'd never felt as much rage as he did now. Not at Darken Rahl and not even at the Keeper. He wanted to kill them; he wanted them to suffer.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"We should leave tomorrow."

"Are you sure that you're rested enough?" Richard was worried about her. She'd been sleeping a lot, a restless slumber that didn't seem to erase any of her exhaustion. They'd been in the cabin for three days now. He knew that it would be harder to track the man who had kidnapped their baby, but he was sure that he knew who had her.

"I want her back, Richard." She looked over her shoulder at him. He was curled around her in bed, a position that they'd found themselves in often in the past few days. He'd been insistent that she sleep and she couldn't sleep at all if he wasn't next to her and even then she wasn't getting much rest. "I need her back."

"I do too." He went up on his elbow and leaned over her as she rolled onto her back. His index finger traced the bruise on her face that was uglier then when he'd first seen it, but it looked like it was healing well.

"Who took her? Why would they do that to us?" Her voice was low and shaky; she rolled up her eyes to prevent the tears from coming.

"I think it was Guilderst and his men." He kissed her forehead before flopping back down on the mattress. His hand went to her stomach and started tracing designs on the fabric. "They've been implying that they don't like the way we're planning to rule. They don't like the fact that I don't have a firm enough hand and you are too compassionate. They don't like that the Mother Confessor can love and be loved. They think that makes you weaker."

"It only makes me stronger." She smiled at him.

He smiled back, her mouth was rarely turned up lately and it was a beautiful site to see her eyes twinkle a little.

"Yes. It will also unite all three lands, something that they are against. They think that, as D'Haran's, they should take over and bend everyone to their ways and their will. They know that we plan to abolish all the suppression and injustice. They don't believe in equality. They want unity, but only under the terms that raise D'Hara above everyone."

"Our daughter would be the catalyst to get people to follow them. She's a union of Rahl and Amnell, two of the most powerful bloodlines." Kahlan let out a growl. "They don't want to love her, they just want to use her to force people to follow them. To raise her to rule with their beliefs."

"We don't know how powerful she'll be. She could, potentially, be one of the most powerful confessors ever born." The look on her face showed her understanding. She was biting her lip again and he leaned over to kissed her. "We are going to get her back."

"We're leaving tomorrow. No more waiting." She saw him nod his reluctant agreement. "Why do you want to wait? Don't you want to hold her? I haven't even gotten to hold my baby."

"I want iyou/i to be alright, Kahlan. I can't live without you." He watched the tears sneak out the side of her eyes and used his thumb to swipe them away. "They aren't going to hurt her, but leaving before it's safe for you to travel won't help us. You are too important to me. I want her back, but not at the cost of her mother."

She flipped back over on her side and pulled his arm around her stomach.

"We leave at dawn."

The sound of her voice was strong and firm. It was a welcome change from the meek, soft words he had been hearing lately.

"Towards D'Hara."

"Yes. Zedd and Cara will be there. They will help us." Kahlan closed her eyes and for the first time in weeks she slept, really slept.

Richard woke her at dawn. She smiled up at him and looked at what he was holding out.

Her white dress.

"You brought it?" She giggled at his thoughtfulness. "It hasn't fit me in months."

"Even if it wasn't the worst case scenario, I wanted you to have it." He handed her the corset and leggings as well. "It's a symbol of your authority. Even unlaced it would have been effective."

She pulled off the nightgown she'd been in for four days now and pulled on the leggings. She set the corset up against her and turned her back to Richard.

"Will you tighten it for me. But not too much at the top, my breasts won't be able to take the pressure."

He walked behind her and tugged the laces, fitting the corset snug to her body. It had been four months since she'd stopped wearing it and it was comforting to see her in it before they went out on their mission.

"It's like old times."

She nodded and pulled on her Confessor dress, quickly lacing the front. She did a twirl for him and then started packing all the essentials that weren't already tied onto the horse.

"Ready?" She didn't wait for an answer but walked to the door, heading out to mount her horse. She sat astride setting herself down on the saddle and let out a yelp of pain.

He flew out the door to see what was wrong, catching her leaping off her horse.

"What is it?" His hands were running over her body trying to find what was wrong with her.

"I can't ride." Kahlan let out a growl of frustration. "How can I save her if I can't sit on a horse? I didn't realize that I'd be so sore down... there." She made a pointing motion in the direction of her soreness.

"Can you site sideways across my lap?" Richard mounted up on Hellfire and offered his hand to pull her up with him.

She settled herself on his thighs, it was still a little painful, but nothing like she'd felt sitting on her own mount.

"This will be ok."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded at him and tried not to flinch as he asked the mare to walk on. She didn't want him worrying about her and she couldn't bear to not head out today. She leaned into his chest and inhaled his scent. The smell and feel of him always making her feel grounded and calm.

"I need to stop, for a minute."

"Sure, Kahlan." Richard pulled the horse to a halt and helped her down, following her as soon as she was steady without his handhold.

"I need you to..." She started unlacing her dress making it loose enough to uncover the cups of her corset. "I'm leaking, just a little, but it's uncomfortable." She could feel the blush rising to her cheeks. She'd never had to ask him to help her before; he'd just take care of it without talking about it.

"I should have been-"

Her finger covered his lips, "You do so much for me. We are in a hurry, I don't mind asking. It's just a little embarrassing."

He moved the corset out of his way, it was loose enough in the back that he didn't have to irritate her much as he angled her nipple out and went to work, he hoped when they got the baby back that he wouldn't get jealous of her getting all of Kahlan's milk. He was starting to like the flavor. He finished up with both and then connected their mouths. Kissing her after he drank from her had become his routine, letting her get a taste of herself from his tongue. Sometimes he'd hold a little in his mouth and offer it to her.

She pulled back, and started to put her clothes back to rights.

"They didn't design this for easy access."

"Why else do you think you stayed pure for so long?" Richard winked at her as he mounted the horse again and pulled her up as soon as she was finished.

"I'm almost certain that was because men are afraid of my magic and losing their souls. But maybe it was the outfit all this time." She made herself comfortable on his lap again as the horse moved on. "It never worked for you though, you weren't afraid of my power and the laces didn't deter you either. You were determined to remove my innocence."

"It took me long enough to get you into my bed, well your bed, as it turned out. I think it's all Zedd's fault, however."

"We're going to get her back, aren't we?" She didn't know how she could go from happy to depressed for no reason.

"I have no doubt." Richard took one hand off the reins and hugged her. "Do you want talk about her?"

"I... I don't remember what she looks like." She ducked her head down, the shame of not knowing your own child's features. "I am a terrible mother. I let them take her and I can't see her in my head."

"When you saw her, how long did you see her?"

"Maybe a few seconds and then I went into Con'Dar..."

"How can you be expected to recall anything from then?" He tipped her chin up and made her look at him. "Kahlan, you expect far too much from yourself. You're a wonderful mother. You care more about that baby then yourself. Why else would you be sitting on my lap, on a horse, in constant pain?"

"I'm not in constant pain." She glared at him for knowing her too well that she couldn't hide even that from him.

"I know that you are. You are always maneuvering for a new position, your mouth is in a tight grimace the whole ride, unless I'm distracting you and your forehead is wrinkled from you concentrating on not saying anything or making any noises when you move." He smiled at her, proud of himself for being able to read her, even if it prevented her from having the satisfaction of thinking she could pull something like that over on him.

"We're almost to D'Hara." She thought about the comfortable bed in their suite at the People's Palace. She was excited to see Zedd and Cara, but mostly she knew that arriving would mean they were that much closer to getting her back.

"Almost."

"I want to name her Mara."

"I love it. Mara Amnell, it's perfect." He kissed her head and angled Hellfire towards the Palace. They'd arrive sometime tomorrow afternoon. He wanted to talk to Zedd about strategy and to listen to Cara threaten to tear out their entrails and hang them with them. They needed their friends.

He asked the mare for an easy trot and they sped off, both of them thinking about how it would feel to hold her.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"I heard rumors that you were headed this way." Zedd was at the door to the People's Palace as they rode up the final path.

"For once, there was some truth to it." Richard helped Kahlan dismount, watching her flinch as she stretched her sore muscles. "When did you hear?"

"I got a message last night that you'd been spotted traveling past a village a few leagues from here. It's amazing how quickly you get news when you're in charge of D'Hara." Zedd smiled and walked forward taking Kahlan's arm and leading her up the stairs. "The majority of them are happy to have the Lord Rahl and his wife back." He looked his granddaughter over and frowned. "I can tell you aren't here for celebration. Let's get inside and I can take care of your injuries and you can tell me what's happened."

Richard handed the horse over to the stable boy and gave him instructions that she should be treated like a queen; the horse had after all saved the Mother Confessor's life. The boy nodded vigorously at him and he jogged up the stairs following Zedd and Kahlan into the palace.

He turned around the corner and saw Zedd's hands hovering over her belly and touching her shoulder. The slight bulge was set back to just a soft swell before his eyes. Richard could see the pain recede from her eyes as his hand moved lower, fixing the tear that the baby had caused. He was glad that Zedd didn't have to touch the minor wounds to heal them. He saw Kahlan's lips moving, but couldn't hear what she was saying. He decided to just wait until they were finished, not wanting to interrupt the healing session.

When Zedd was finished, he pulled her into a hug. He heard her start to sob and pulled her closer. He'd never seen Kahlan this upset; the men that took her child would pay. If he had to draw out every ounce of magic from his han to make sure those men burned forever with Wizard's Fire, he'd do it.

"We'll get Mara back, don't cry, dear one." Zedd motioned with his head for Richard to join them. He knew that he was the only one that could comfort Kahlan.

Richard walked over to them quickly and took his wife in his arms.

"You didn't have to tell him alone, Kahlan." He whispered into her ear as she buried her face into his chest, her tears dampening his shirt.

"I wanted to get it over with, you were busy... I just..."

"We're tired, Zedd, I think we'll just head up to our rooms. Can you have them send up dinner in an hour or so?" He caught Zedd's nod and escorted Kahlan upstairs.

Kahlan heard voices in other the room. She'd been soaking in the tub for a while. Richard had insisted that she take a hot bath when they got up to their suite. He'd drawn it up and added lavender and chamomile to the water. The scent was intoxicating and her body was relaxing; the soreness seemed to creep out of her. The physical wounds that Zedd had healed had been minor, to the emotional ones. Those were still torn open, but seeing Zedd, having him hug her, had added a few stitches to the gaping sore in her heart.

She recognized the woman's voice as she heard her sarcasm in a reply to Richard. The sound of him laughing made her smile as she pulled herself out of the tub. The water trickled down her body. She watched the droplets make paths across her skin as gravity sent them back to join the rest of the water. Kahlan examined herself, how her breasts were much larger now, how her milk making them full and heavy. Her stomach was back to its normal tightness, after Zedd's healing touch, her waist was pretty again and she could see her feet.

Grabbing for a towel, she began to dry off and the stepped all the way out of the bath. Once she was dry she pulled her robe on and tied the sash tightly. Her feet found her slippers and she pulled the drain on the bathtub, watching the water swirl around as it flowed out. The scent left the room, but still faintly permeated off her warm skin. She opened the door and went out to join her husband and Cara.

"Kahlan."

Cara called her greeting to her, alerting Richard that she had entered the room.

"Cara." She walked over and pulled the mord'sith into a hug. She responded more quickly then normal, which told her that Richard had already filled the woman in on everything that had happened. "He told you."

"Told me what?"

"Don't lie to me." She pulled out of the hug and walked a couple steps back to stand next to Richard.

"I thought that you couldn't read Mord'Sith?" Cara smirked at her.

"I can't, but you've never hugged me back so quickly before. You gave your feelings away all on your own." Kahlan watched Cara's face change; gone was the smile and a mask of fury seemed to take over.

"I will be happy to torture them for months when we catch them. It would be my pleasure to make them pay, over and over again." She touched her agiel, feeling the pain course through her veins as she channeled it thinking of what she'd do to the people who dared kidnap Lord Rahl's child. The men who had tried to destroy two of the people who made her life worth something.

"I just want her back, Cara." Kahlan dipped her head and held back the tears. She didn't understand why she couldn't stop crying. She drew in a deep breath, the scent of her skin hitting her nose helped to ground her, before looking up again. "You can do whatever you want to them, after I have my baby back."

"They iwill/i pay." Cara touched her shoulder and nodded at Richard. "I'm going to let you two rest. I'll see you in the morning, we'll come up with a plan then."

They watched their friend walk out of the room, the door clicking into place behind her. Richard walked over to it and flipped the lock. On his way back he began stripping off his clothes, tossing them over one of the chairs. Kahlan followed his lead and removed her robe, hanging it up, before joining him again.

"Did your bath help?" He cupped her face, and pulled her forehead to his, breathing in the smell of her skin mixed with the lavender and chamomile he'd added to the water. "You smell good." He looked down at her nude form, admiring how lovely she looked. He felt himself reacting to the sight of her and tried to tap down his arousal.

Kahlan noticed his abdominals tighten and his manhood seemed to be hardening. She moaned at the thought of him inside her. She wanted to feel something, something besides the sad ache that filled her heart.

"Make love to me?" The words left her lips on their own accord. She'd never asked before, not like this; it always just seemed to happen, their love and attraction to the other guiding their actions.

"Kahlan." He pulled her to him, connecting their flesh from head to toe. "You've been through so much, you're exhausted and sore. I don't think that we should..."

"Please, Richard..." She couldn't believe that she was begging him. "I want to feel you."

"I'll hold you all night." His hands tangled into her hair, combing out the tangles and massaging her scalp.

"Don't you want me?" She choked out the question, not knowing if she could bear to hear the answer.

He couldn't believe she just asked him that. He put some distance between them and gripped her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes. The tears he saw tracking down her cheeks made his chest tighten.

"How can you ask me that?"

"We're both naked, in our room where no one will interrupt us, and you seem to be interested..." She tried to pull her face away, but he wouldn't let her. "Why else would you turn me down..."She closed her eyes so she wouldn't have to see his. That's when she figured out why. "You don't want to take the chance I get pregnant again."

"Where is this coming from, Kahlan?" He let go of her face and put his hands on his own, rubbing over his eyes. He'd only been trying to help her, not wanting to force her into an emotional situation that she wasn't ready to handle.

"You ido/i think it's my fault... I am a terrible mother. I let them take her." She let herself collapse to the floor her knees pulled up to her chest as she sat on the rug by their bed. Her body started shaking and her tears hit her full force. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect her. I'm sorry..."

Richard bent down and picked her up, cradling her body to his chest as he carried her to the bed. He sat down and held her in his lap, stroking her back and letting her cry. It seemed everything he tried to do lately made her weep. He knew nothing he said would do any good, so he just shushed her and murmured that the loved her, rocking her as she shed the tears she'd been holding in. He hoped that he'd be able to help her past her misplaced guilt. He knew that until they got Mara back, she would continue the spiral into the dark recesses of her mind.

She seemed to perk up a bit and he loosened his hold as she wiggled around, sliding down to the floor between his legs. She didn't look up at him, but her hands found his organ and her mouth followed them.

"Kahlan..." His hands were in her hair, asking her to stop.

"Let me, let me, please, let me..." She pleaded with him her mouth kissing and licking at his penis. She felt his body responding to her, the blood rushing to his member and hardening it as her lips teased over the sensitive flesh.

Listening to the desperation in her voice almost broke him. He wanted her, more than she could comprehend, but he knew that she was going to feel worse after. Now it was a choice between giving her that sweet relief that an orgasm would provide and watching her suffer afterwards, or watching her crumble to pieces while he denied her what she thought that she needed, again.

"Okay." He spoke the word softly, "Let's make love. If that will make you feel better, only for a little while, I'll show you how much I love you. How much I want you. How beautiful you are and how you make me feel."

"Thank you."

Her voice seemed to lose some of the hopelessness as she smiled up at him. The smile almost made it to her eyes. He gave her a grin in return. Her focus settled back between his legs, her mouth and hands readying him to help take her pain away.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Kahlan placed a hand on the base of his growing erection, holding it up to her lips, her mouth surrounding the head and sucking on him. She felt his member hardening under her ministrations, despite his earlier protests. She craved his response to her, needing to know that she was still able to draw out a reaction. She reached down with her other hand and cupped his balls, rolling the two globes of flesh against her palm.

His head tipped back as his hands curled around her hair. The hot, wet cavern of her mouth around him made him forget why he hadn't wanted to do this. His body was thrumming with the need to be with her. He spread his legs wider allowing her to move closer and she took more of him into her mouth. The way her hand was squeezing and pulling at the base, moving up until it touched her mouth and then sliding back down was sending him closer to the edge. He noticed her eyes were closed; usually when she pleasured him with her mouth she looked at him using the eye contact to increase his arousal.

The fact that he was responding so quickly gave her hope that he still wanted her, that his body still answered when hers needed it to. She let him slip free from her mouth, kissing the head before following the vein down towards the hand that was cupping his sac. She moved slowly, but deliberately, licking the soft skin on his shaft all the way to the base. Her mouth took one of his balls into it, laving the underside with her tongue and sucking gently, letting is scrape lightly along her teeth as she released it. The other was soon occupying the space, and she repeated her actions. Kahlan felt them pulling against her, inching closer to his body, her ears could almost feel the vibrations from the throaty moans he was releasing.

"If you want to feel me inside you, you should stop now." Somehow the words left his lips, but he didn't know how he'd managed to form them. Her mouth was doing things to him that he'd never felt. She'd gone down on him before, but the emotional turmoil and the amount of time since he'd last come was aiding his climb to orgasm.

Before she let go, she gave him a firm squeeze at the base, trying to help alleviate his immediate need. She kissed her way back up to his mouth, her tongue dancing over the definition of his abs, teeth scrapping along the muscle. She heard him hiss as she left teeth marks above his belly button. Quickly soothing the ache she'd created with her tongue, she continued her journey.

As she climbed up his body she crawled back into his lap, pushing him to move back further onto the mattress. Her legs straddled his lap as they moved towards the headboard, settling in when his back was propped against it.

She discovered the tiny points of his nipples and began to suckle on him. She used her mouth as if she was nursing, letting him feel the pressure that made her milk flow. His nipple popped free as she released her suction. Her thumb came up to tease the nub and her lips moved along his pectoral and up to his neck. His ear felt the touch of her teeth as she pulled the lobe in and worried over it before sucking it and moving on. She scooted closer to him, her wet sex pressing his erection against his stomach, rubbing herself along his hardness, coating him in her juices.

His hands were resting on her skin, one tickling across her thigh and the other rubbing circles on her back. He was letting her take the lead in everything; he knew that she wanted to feel in control of something in her life right now, even if it was just sex with him. He could feel her desperation in the way she was moving, her body wasn't as fluid as normal, her actions were stiffer and she was only working towards release, not taking the pleasure she normally did in just touching and connection with each other. He would give her what she thought she needed. He couldn't turn her down, even if it was for her own good.

Kahlan's lips felt their way along his jawline, searching out his mouth. She wouldn't open her eyes; she only wanted to feel, she wanted her body to let go. She ached down to her soul, but the press of his flesh against hers, the taste of his skin and the movement of their bodies took away some of that pain. She reached between them and angled his cock to line him up with her sheath. Her mouth found his and she begged entrance with her tongue as she pressed down, his erection entering her.

Her body moved over his rapidly, establishing a hard, fast tempo. Her hands gripped and clawed at his shoulders, using them as leverage, her knees bouncing on the bed and her arms pulling her up on him, before slamming herself back down. Her mouth left his and her head fell back, concentrating on the rhythm of her body, her hair sweeping across her ass as she rose and fell on his erection.

The clamping and releasing of her internal muscles was driving him quickly towards release. He looked at her as she rode him, her breasts bouncing and rubbing along his chest. The hand on her back came forward to hold her. His thumb swiped over the nipple and felt a bead of milk there, using it to lubricate the nub and slick his finger over it to harden it more. Her voice touched his ears through the haze of his arousal; the blood rushing through his body was making it hard to concentrate. He focused on what she was saying.

"Need to come... please. Why can't I come..." Kahlan was begging her body for the sweet release. Her hand was between them rubbing swiftly over her clit. She was pressing all the normal buttons that enabled her climax, but why was it so elusive?

Richard caught her hand, bringing her fingers to his lips he cleaned off the juices, and then he replaced it with his own.

"Kahlan." He called her name asking her to look at him.

Her head tipped forward and her eyes opened a crack. Her frantic movements were not quieting, just becoming more off tempo and less satisfying.

"I need it, help me Richard... please, I need you to help me..." She felt the tears begin, "Please make me feel good, I'll do anything..."

"Shhh, baby." Richard used the hand on her hips to quiet her movement. "Look at me." He waited until she was still and her eyes were locked with his. He could see the sadness in them, despite the dilation of her pupils, her magic waiting to be set free with orgasm. His thumb began tracing circles around her clit, holding her hips still until he built her arousal back up. He saw her eyes begin to close as she concentrated on his touch. "Keep them open, Kahlan, I want you to look at me. Watch me as I get you off. I need you to see how much I want to give you this."

She nodded at him and bit her bottom lip. Her mind tugged on her to close her eyes and feel nothing but his touch, but she couldn't. She needed to give him her focus. She'd already tried to take from him and her body had rebelled. Locking away her emotions hadn't worked, so she held his gaze, though her eyes blurred with the tears, she didn't break the connection.

"I'm going to guide your hips, okay?"

She nodded and waited, his hand leading her body down the path of pleasure. His thumb strummed her clitoris, as her hips moved up and down on his hardness. The action was slower then she wanted and more loving then she thought she deserved. His fingers dug into the fleshy part on the top of her thigh asking for a little more speed. The pressure on her clit was building as he pulled the hood back and forth over the sensitive head.

"Keep moving like this, and I'm going to move my hand to hold your breast, but don't speed up or I won't be able to tease your nipple." Trusting that she would listen, he moved his hand up to cup her breast. He rubbed the hard nub against his palm before rolling it between his thumb and forefinger. The milk was bubbling out and he collected some on his thumb and brought it to her lips. "Taste how good the milk is that you make for our baby." His hand brought more to her lips, letting her leak out as her arousal built. "She'll get to have some soon, Kahlan. She'll be the one drinking from you, getting to know how wonderful her mother is. Together, we'll have years to adore her." He saw the tears renew in her eyes, but the corners of her mouth moved upwards in a small smile.

"Then we can have more?"

"As many as you want." It seemed so simple right then as her face seemed to change shape. Like he'd just given her all the answers she'd ever want, in a simple five-word sentence.

His fingers pinched her nipple and his thumb pressed down on her clit, right as she buried him deeply inside her. He felt her body let go.

"Richard!" She moaned out his name as her body was overtaken by her climax. Her magic thundered through them and she felt her body relax. All her muscles were tight with pleasure, but her mind was set free, floating along the cloudy haze of her orgasm. She felt her breasts let go of milk, as if he was nursing on her, but his mouth wasn't suckling on her. The power of her pleasure making them lose all control as well.

He watched as the orgasm rolled through her, and he let himself feel it with her. The rippling of her sheath around him made him on edge, but what sent him over was watching as milk was freed from her breasts, covering his chest in the warm, sweet liquid. His seed spurted into her as he let his body fall over the plateau of climax. The long, ropey, bursts made him grimace as the pleasure raced through his veins, his heart filling with hope as he poured his seed into her body.

After her breathing calmed she let herself fall onto his chest, his arms were holding her to him, trapping her against the hard planes of his body. The kisses he was placing on her head soothed her and the guilt she started to feel for using him dissipated when she heard him murmuring that he loved her, over and over again. He just kept saying it; she couldn't ignore the truth she heard in his voice. The conviction that he spoke with. She knew, then, that they would be alright.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

The knock at the door woke him. He untangled himself from Kahlan, slipped out of bed, pulled his pants on and answered the door. He smiled as he met the face of his favorite Mord'Sith.

"So happy to see me, Lord Rahl?" Cara slipped into the room, looking over at Kahlan's sleeping form. "She looks better this morning."

"Yeah, she slept better last night, we only woke up once." Richard glanced at her too then turned back to Cara, "So what have you been able to find out?"

"I have good news." Cara pulled out her agiel and held it in her hand admiring it. "I know exactly who I need to kill." She smiled sweetly and returned the weapon to it's holster. "You were right about Guilderst. He is behind it all, but they don't have Mara."

"Where is she?"

Cara went to the door and pulled it open, a maid was standing in the hallway holding a small baby.

"I went out hunting last night. You wouldn't believe how loud the screams are when the Lord Rahl's rage is channeled through my agiels." Cara reached out and took Mara out of the arms of her nursemaid.

"Cara..." Richard held out his arms as she handed his daughter over to him. "How can I ever thank you?" He cradled the baby against his chest, taking in the light, freckled skin with a smattering of dark hair. Her eyes were brown like his, but she had her mother's adorable nose. "Hello, Mara, I'm so glad to meet you."

"I'll leave you to it then. We can talk later about how to send payback to Guilderst. I'm sure we'll both enjoy it." Cara opened the door and let herself out.

He walked quietly over to the bed and climbed in behind his wife, careful not to jostle the baby. When he'd settled in next to her he stroked her hair and called her name, rousing her from her sleep.

"Mmm... Richard," she yawned while stretching and rolling over. "Good-"

Her voice was gone when she saw her. Her eyes filled with tears and before she could ask, he was placing their daughter at her breast. She held tightly to her as she watched Mara latch on and begin to drink. Richard slid in behind her to hold his family in his arms. She leaned back and let out a sob.

"How... where... when?" She didn't know where to begin. She didn't really care about the answers, she was so thankful to be holding her.

"Cara."

She wiped the tears from her cheeks then put her hand down to caress the baby's cheek as she ate. She remembered now. This was her baby. It was the perfect combination of them, but the eyes were exactly what she wanted. She would be able to look into their child's eyes and see her father. She loved getting lost in his eyes.

"She really will do anything for us. For not having any feelings she sure was able to return our daughter to us quickly. You might even think she cared." Kahlan smirked at him over her shoulder.

The smile he saw on her face was radiant. It'd been a while since he'd seen her so happy.

"She went out last night, for a little sportsmanlike hunt. Apparently the rage I'm feeling increases the agiels abilities. So Cara had more fun then normal, after she secured Mara. We still need to go after Guilderst."

Kahlan nodded at her husband and switched Mara to the other breast. She could feel her suckling slowing and she wanted her to eat from both sides.

"She's beautiful, Kahlan. You did well."

"We did. She's got your eyes."

"You got your wish, I'm sure I'll never hear the end of it." Both of them laughed. The sound of her laughter was like a healing balm covering his heart. The pieces were all back together. All that was left was for him to extract his revenge. It would be known that no one could get away with hurting the Mother Confessor. He wouldn't rest until the rest of that organization was dead.

"How's the family?" Zedd asked Richard as he entered the library.

"Good. Better than, actually, it's nothing like I thought it would be." Richard sat in the chair next to the desk that Zedd was seated at. "I don't know what I imagined. It just fills your heart with so much joy you want to burst. Every time I see Kahlan with Mara in her arms I want to hold that image in my mind forever. I don't want her to grow up and have to deal with the responsibilities of who she is. I want to make the world a better place for her to live in. I want her to have what Kahlan and I have. I know that is something unrealistic to wish for, but I can't help but hope for her future. She's two weeks old and I'm already worried about her being able to fall in love."

"Well, my boy, welcome to parenthood." He closed the book he was reading. "You're right about wanting her to stay that size and age though; once they can talk back, it's a never ending battle."

The two men shared a smile before getting down to the reason that Richard had left his wife and daughter in their suite.

"You've got information on where to find them?"

"Cara has been very efficient, per usual." Zedd pulled a sandwich out of his sleeve and started to eat as he spoke. "She's located the place they call home. I didn't ask how; I'd rather not know about her 'official' channels."

"When does she want to leave?" Richard was ready to go. He needed to kill someone; the rage had been bottled up for far too long.

"She's waiting on you. She's got people on them so if they move on, we'll know where they are."

"Tell her I'll be ready to go in the morning."

Zedd went back to work as Richard left the room. He always knew that he'd be a good father. He was glad that Kahlan could be the mother of his children without taking his soul. The last time he was that happy, his own wife was alive. The happy couple had stayed sequestered in their rooms. He'd gone up a couple times to meet Mara, but they'd kept to themselves. When Richard was ready, he knew that he'd come to him, so he didn't push, instead he sent Cara out to keep track of the Guilderst crowd. She was more than willing to finish them all herself, but he knew that his grandson needed to set free the rage that was boiling inside his heart. Until he could use the magic that was a part of him, to quell the swords need for blood; it would slowly eat away at him. It had been bottled far too long, he had made sure that Cara understood, and would let Richard take out the Guilderst leader.

She'd been more than happy to do just about anything that would please Lord Rahl, and assisting him in revenge was something she was almost exuberant about. That woman would always be a mystery to the old wizard. It was probably better that way. He polished off the rest of his sandwich and then went back to reading his book.

"You're leaving, aren't you?" She knew the look in his eyes when he entered their room. She was rocking the baby, singing her to sleep, when she heard the door open.

"In the morning." Richard moved around the room, picking up clothes and moving shoes, needing to do something. He was wired. He didn't feel like he could sit still. He didn't want to talk about "what ifs" with her. He wanted to spend the night with his family, quietly in the palace. Thoughts about what tomorrow morning might bring was pushed far from his mind.

"I want to go with you." Kahlan looked down at Mara, now sleeping soundly in her arms, before catching his gaze again.

"We both know that you can't."

"I know."

"She needs her mother." He kneeled beside the rocking chair, delicately stroking the soft bit of hair on his daughter's head.

"And she has no need for her father?" Kahlan caught his hand and squeezed it. "iI/i need him. Even if she doesn't, iI/i need you."

"It doesn't change the fact that I'm going to go out tomorrow and kill the men who did this. There isn't a doubt in my mind that they will pay for what they did to you."

"To us." She whispered the words and pulled the hand she still held to her lips, kissing each of his knuckles. "Please don't do anything rash or crazy. Let Cara help you."

He stood and kissed her forehead, reaching down he lifted Mara into his arms and carried her over to her bassinet. She fussed a bit, but didn't wake as he kissed her and placed her in her bed. When he turned back to Kahlan, he found her right beside him; his arms opened and welcomed her into his embrace.

"I'll always come back to you."

"I don't know what I'd do if you didn't, Richard."

They stood locked together for sometime just holding each other, making sure they had a memory of the scent and feel of each other. Richard felt her yawn against his chest and moved them to the bed. He turned back the blankets and undressed her. He watched her climb in before removing his own clothes and following her.

As soon as he was settled on to his back she molded herself to his side, using his shoulder as a pillow, her leg was across his and her arm over his chest. His hand was on her back, lightly touching her skin with his fingertips and knuckles. The feeling was so relaxing and comforting she could feel her eyes drifting closed.

"Don't leave without waking me." She didn't want to chance falling asleep and having him gone when she awakened.

"I promise to wake you up." His lips touched her forehead again as he watched her fall into the thick haze of an exhausted sleep.

Hellfire raced along side the river, carrying Richard at a gallop. He and Cara had set out about two hours ago. The Guilderst men had made a lot of progress since she'd put a tail on them. They were further away then he was happy about, but he couldn't have left Kahlan any earlier. They had their daughter back. This mission was purely revenge. The look in his wife's eyes when he'd left her that morning was enough to push any doubt from his mind about this being necessary. The way his daughter had smiled at him as he bid her farewell, telling her that he'd be back soon, made his determination to see these men pay for their actions increase ten fold.

He'd kissed Kahlan awake this morning, waiting until he'd dressed before jostling her from sleep. She'd been surprised and disappointed that he was all ready to leave, but he'd known that she'd have started something that he didn't have the luxury to finish. They said their "I love yous" and he'd placed the baby in bed with her, tell them both he'd be back soon.

Cara pulled her horse to a halt, whistling for Richard to do the same. When he got his horse stopped and back to her she pointed to a house in the distance.

"That's them?"

"Ready to have some fun, Lord Rahl?"

She looked like a giddy schoolgirl about to get a bowl full of sweets. Her eyes lit up at the prospect of killing the bastards that had kidnapped the Mother Confessor and her child.

Richard drew his sword, closed his eyes and thought about how Kahlan had looked when he found her naked and bleeding in that cabin, the way she was laying on the dirty floor, bruises all over her body and unconscious. He thought about the way they had stolen his ability to be with her when she gave birth to their first child and how she cried when she couldn't remember what Mara looked like. He let the rage of the sword wash over him. His veins felt like his blood was on fire, the rate of his heart sped up and he felt a fury like he'd never imagined.

Pointing at the house, with the sword, he spurred Hellfire forward and Cara followed. The blood that was spilled today would tell everyone who thought about making war against his family that they would pay.

As soon as the horses neared the house, Cara shouted at him the description of the man she had there. Luckily, Richard saw him immediately because he drew his weapon and killed the man standing next to him, no longer needing to keep his cover.

Richard leapt from his horse landing on one of the Guilderst men, his sword catching the man and slicing him from groin to throat.

Now the sword had tasted blood.

He felt the rage embody him, everything he'd worked so hard to contain was bubbling up. His eyes were shaded in red as he began slicing through all the people that were at the hide out.

Soldier after soldier tried to make contact with the Seeker only to meet the point of his blade. A few of them were even skillful enough to parry with him a few times before falling as Richard slipped past their poor defense and delivered a fatal blow. He could hear the scream of the agiel beside him as Cara protected his back. She didn't lead, only letting him slice through the mob. He saw her man head to the rear of the building and he knew that he didn't have to worry about anyone escaping alive. Cara wouldn't put anyone but her most skilled fighter on this mission.

The warm spray of blood would hit him as he severed heads and stabbed through arteries. He couldn't feel anything except the burning rage within him. The sword felt like it was scorching his fingers as he moved through them all. When he got into the house he raced up the stairs, kicking open every door and killing anyone inside. Most of the rooms had been emptied to go out and fight.

The final door opened and revealed the leader, the man who'd given the order to have his wife taken from him. The man who'd wanted to keep his daughter and use her. He saw the glint in his eye and a flash of silver fly by him, but all his focus was on the man in front of him. Killing him would end the threat of the Guilderst movement. He charged forward, meeting the man's sword blow for blow. He was much better then the men he sent out to be slaughtered first. Richard didn't even notice his fatigue; he just called up the magic in his weapon to carry him through. He struck and defended and waited until his enemy made a mistake. He knew it would happen.

Forcing him to bang into a chair finally exposed his soft belly to Richard's sword. The sound of armor and flesh being cut by the Sword of Truth had never been more satisfying. He watched as the man grasped his stomach falling forward, onto the floor.

"That was for my daughter." Richard hardly recognized his own voice through the mask of the fury. His boot kicked the dying man onto his back and his sword cut across his jaw, leaving a mark in the same spot that Kahlan had been struck. "That was for my wife." Richard stood over the man, watching as blood spilled from his mouth. "This is for me." He ran the sword through the man's heart, holding it imbedded in his flesh until he saw the last breath rattle across his lips.

He felt the magic and rage leave his body as the man's soul made its way to the underworld. He heaved the sword from the body and wiped it clean before sheathing it.

"Richard!"

He turned and saw Cara at the entrance to the room

"I killed them."

"You're hurt."

"I am?" He looked down and saw the hilt of a dagger sticking out of his shoulder. That was the flash he'd seen. He grasped the handle and removed it, groaning with the pain.

Cara started applying pressure as her friend appeared behind her with some bandages and began handing them over to help her wrap his arm.

"I can't take you anywhere." She scolded him, "Kahlan is going to kill me for letting you get hurt."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

The stars seemed brighter than normal. She wasn't sure if the night was blacker or if they were twinkling more fiercely to help guide their way home. She hoped that they would return soon.

Kahlan had been watching the path that circled the People's Palace all day. There wasn't another way in and she wanted to know when Richard and Cara made it back. Mara seemed to enjoy the bright colors of the outside world and she didn't mind being rocked and fed where her mother had a full view of any activity that brought someone to the palace entrance.

She didn't know why it was taking so long. She'd assumed that they would return hours ago. The worry in her brain had traveled to the pit of her stomach and was now gnawing away at the lining. Mara had slipped into sleep at least an hour earlier and Kahlan had kept holding her, but she couldn't put her baby down, not when he was still out there. She caressed her back and the soft skin on her neck as she paced in and out of the balcony.

The sound of hoof beats in the distance caught her attention. Her eyes strained to see into the night, waiting for the riders to appear in front of her. As soon as they rounded the final curve to come up the pathway she knew something wasn't right.

Setting the baby into her crib, gently, she raced down the staircase to meet them at the door. When she arrived she met up with Zedd who was already waiting.

"Something's not right." Her voice was frantic, already filled with a rising panic. She'd just gotten her family back; she couldn't imagine losing him.

"Everything will be fine. He's upright and riding his own horse, even if it looks like he's struggling to do that." Zedd rushed up to meet the horses, reaching for Richard's reins and getting the horse to halt. He saw that he was covered in blood, but it was hard to tell where his was coming from.

"His right shoulder!" Cara yelled at him breathlessly.

Kahlan had already joined the group and was helping her husband down, letting him lean his weight on her.

"He must have lost a lot of blood."

"He fought and killed Demian Greerson while the man's dagger was sticking out of his shoulder. I've never seen anything like it." Cara recounted the battle to Kahlan and Zedd as she helped them haul Richard into the palace.

The first chair in the foyer was where they lowered him down. Kahlan stripped off his shirt and the bandages. The severity of the wound required more magic to heal it and she knew that it worked better if Zedd could see it clearly.

Richard moaned as she held him against the back of the chair, letting Zedd's healing touch connect with his shoulder. The magic worked to close the wound in his shoulder. As he finished, Cara came up behind him; Kahlan hadn't even realized that she'd left, holding out a hot mug of tea.

"Drink this. It helps to strengthen you after you've lost a lot of blood. It's an old D'Haran trick. I've used it on a fair number of trainees. Let's just say they are a lot more alert after drinking it." She winked at Kahlan and held the cup to Richard's lips, letting him sip at it until the drink was gone. "He just needs a good bath, then he'll be good as new."

"Kahlan..." Richard was already feeling the effects of whatever Cara had just forced down his throat. "I killed them."

"Thank you."

"They are all dead. Mara won't have to worry about them now." He smiled at her and stood. The magic liquid seemed to be kicking in. He could almost feel his red blood cells regenerating. He looked down at himself and then up at Kahlan. "I need a bath."

"You certainly do." She grabbed his hand and walked with him to their suite.

Mara was fussing when they got to their room, so Kahlan took care of her feeding while Richard got in the bathtub. She listened to the water filling and the sloshing around as he got in. She couldn't help but smile at the thought of him naked in the water.

The suckling on her breast disappeared as Mara finished her meal. Kahlan put her clothes back in place and left the room, walking down the hall to Cara's bedchamber. She knocked on the door and the woman answered more quickly then she thought possible.

"Were you standing here waiting for me?" She smirked at Cara.

"I just expected to get a special babysitting request tonight." Cara held her arms out and pulled the child from Kahlan's embrace. "Mara and I will bond tonight, while you iconnect/i with Richard." Cara snorted at her own joke and went to rocking the baby. "We'll talk about the best ways to torture people who disobey the ruling family and how to prevent chipmunk attacks."

"You're a good friend, Cara."

"Don't think this means I'll be watching her every night. I know how you two are." The mord'sith walked into her room, leaving Kahlan alone in the hall.

Kahlan let out a little squeak of delight as she walked swiftly back to her room. She closed and locked the door before making her way into the bathroom.

The sight that met her eyes made her heart speed up and wetness pool between her legs. He was laying back in the bath, eyes closed, arms on the sides of the tub. The water looked clean, so he must have rinsed the blood off and then drew a new bath. She could see the skin on his neck and shoulders glisten, the water droplets reflecting the candlelight. She walked over to him and kneeled outside the tub. Her hand grabbed a sponge and dipped it in, absorbing the liquid as she started to bathe him.

She began with the injured shoulder; the slight pink of the newly regenerated skin was the only indication that there had been anything wrong with it. She let the sponge glide across the flesh there, using it to cleanse any remnants of the battle wound.

"I love you."

His voice startled her. She'd been concentrating on the movements of the sponge over his skin, lost in the thoughts of cleansing her worries away with it.

"I know." She leaned up and kissed his lips, her hair falling forward and the tips drifting along the surface of the water. "Thank you for keeping your promise." She kneeled back beside the tub and continued with the sponge, moving beneath the surface and caressing his pecs and abs with it now. Using only a light touch, she teased and tickled across his stomach and up and down his sides. Her gaze followed her hand under the water.

"How's Mara?" Richards hand left it's spot on the tub and looped a strand of her hair around his fingers, rolling and stroking it. The soft silk fell through his fingers before he reached to gather more to play with. Touching her hair always comforted and calmed him. He let out a sigh and slipped a little further into the bath. Her hand guiding the sponge over his body was going to lead to other things, as his manhood began to respond to her.

"She's with Cara for the night." She let the sponge go and her hand grasped his cock, giving him a few quick pumps then rubbing her thumb over the head. Releasing him, she stood, dried her arm off on the towel and leaned over to kiss him again. Her tongue licked over his lips before she drew back. "I'll be in bed, when you're done in here."

Smiling over her shoulder, she sauntered out of the room, when she got to the doorway she pulled off her shift and tossed it to the side, letting him watch her bare ass retreat towards the bed.

Richard didn't waste any time rising from the water. He pulled the plug and stepped out, grabbing the towel she'd just abandoned to dry off, his arms and torso followed by his legs. He stroked it over his erection and moaned at the rough sensation on his already sensitized skin.

"Don't forget about me!"

Kahlan must have heard him moan, throwing the towel over the rack to dry he went to the doorway and paused looking at his wife. She was snuggled under all the covers with only her head peaking out by the pillows.

"Are you cold?" He continued walking to the bed, slipping under the blankets behind her.

"No, I'm just shy." She flashed him a wicked grin and giggled.

"Oh, I see." She wanted to play, "Just too shy for me to look? Is it alright if I touch you under the quilts?"

"Hmm. I suppose that would be okay." She felt him curl up closer to her, his chest just inches from her back, the tip of his erection resting against the swell of her ass.

"Where do you want to be touched?" His hand was resting on her side, fingers drumming lightly on her ribs while he waited for his instructions.

"I..." She was rethinking this game as she felt a blush creep up her face. Asking for it had been something that turned her on and she could feel the need in her stomach and the throbbing in her clit just at the thought of telling him what to do to her. "My breasts."

He didn't answer. He cupped her left breast with his hand, gently squeezing it. He used his open hand to caress over it letting the nipple drag against his palm. His fingertips drew circles around the globe, slowly dancing around it until he reached her nipple. He flicked his finger across the tip, the nub hardened with the attention and he felt a droplet of milk appear.

"Am I doing it right?" Richard's lips brushed against her ear as he leaned in to ask. His fingers pinched her nipple and he heard her sharp intake of breath.

"S'good, yes..." Her legs pressed together, trying to relieve some of the tension that was building. She could feel how slick she was with wanting him. "Put your hand between my legs."

He took his time, grazing the tips of his fingers over her ribs, flattening his palm over her stomach and holding it there, cupping the small swell of her belly.

"Remember when Mara was in there?"

"Yes. We made her..." Kahlan tipped her head back her blue eyes meeting his brown ones. "She's so perfect. I look at her and I see you, just knowing that she's ours..." She felt the tears gathering in her eyes. "I never thought I'd have this."

"Let's make another." He kissed the tears from her cheeks; he brushed his nose against hers in an eskimo kiss and then connected their mouths. The angle was awkward but they made it work, their tongues playing with each other, chasing from one mouth to the next, lips sliding along.

Richard's hand was in her curls, delving into her folds. His middle finger teased over her clit and her hips rolled forward begging for more. He took the contact away, trailing his finger through her slit, pressing into her opening with it. He felt the rush of wetness as he dipped into the sheath, curving the digit to press against her walls.

She pulled her leg up to give him more room. Her hips rolled as he pumped his middle finger into her. Their mouths had parted and he was nibbling along her neck, his teeth scraping under her ear and tongue tickling the lobe. She needed to touch him too. Kahlan reached back between them grasped his erection, stroking him in a matching rhythm that he was using inside her. Every time she pulled towards her, the tip would bump the small of her back and she could feel the wet spot he was leaving from the leaking pre-cum.

"More..."

He added a second finger, giving her a little of what she wanted. The fluttering of her internal muscles around the digits told him she was on edge. He wasn't doing enough to get her off, but she was floating at the tip of ecstasy. His thumb moved upwards and pressed down on her clit.

"Yes... There!" Kahlan moaned out the words as her hips sped up their rocking, trying to force more attention onto her throbbing nub.

The circular motions started gently, barely a whisper over the little organ, but slowly he increased the pressure, his thumb moving the small hood back and forth, never using direct contact on the sensitive head. The squeezing around his fingers felt desperate; she was straining to pull him in deeper. The next time he withdrew he added a third finger and plunged back into her as his thumb gave her a firm caress over the tip of her clit.

She was falling. Her power rushed free from her as her sheath rippled over his fingers in orgasm. He filled her, her heart, her mind, her soul and her body were full of him. His name left her lips in a gasp as she contracted around him. He didn't let up on her body, strumming her through to completion. Every wave of pleasure that ran through her veins gifted upon her by his hands.

"How was it?" Richard withdrew his fingers when he felt her body stop spasming, bringing them to his mouth he cleaned her juices off all three of them, savoring her flavor.

"You have to ask?"

"No, I just like to hear you talk after you come. Your voice is so soft, deep and sated." He bit her shoulder then licked away the irritation. "I want to be inside you now."

"How do you want me?" She looked back at him and raised and eyebrow.

"What would iyou/i need to come again?"

"It's not always about what I need. You need pleasure too." Her hand touched his cheek, her thumb tracing the bone.

"Watching you have another orgasm, that, is all I need." Richard turned his head and kissed her palm. "How do you want to make a baby?"

"Do we have to move?"

He didn't answer. He pulled her thigh over his, slid down the bed a ways and used his hand to line his erection up with her opening. The head slipped in and he moved his fingers back to her clit, beginning to stroke her again as he pressed the rest of the way into her sheath. The slickness of her center made him groan.

Her hand gripped his, moving it from her clit and up her breast.

"Too much, too soon." She encouraged his hand to squeeze her leaving him to pay attention to her breast as she put her hand down to her slit. She knew how much she could take. Her pleasure would be her own job this round.

Richard dug his heel into the mattress to help him push up into her. They weren't able to get much movement in this position, but the slow rocking with the residual spasms from her first orgasm still rippling around his cock made it feel incredible. His palm was teasing her nipple, the milk dribbling onto it. She'd just nursed before they started, but a little bit of milk still flowed out at her climax. He used the hold on her breast for extra leverage, pulling her back into his chest with each thrust.

The thrusting accompanied by his hand holding her breast and her own finger barely touching her clit was sending her back down the path of ecstasy. His throat was making grunting noises indicating that he was close. She scissored her fingers around her swollen clitoris and pinched. The shock of pleasure sent her over the edge again, clamping around his cock as he thrust into her twice more.

The vice grip that her body had on his erection made him suck in a breath and he jerked into her once, then again and let go. His seed burst from him. Every rush of his orgasm sent the life giving fluid deep into her body.

When his breathing returned to normal he kissed her ear, outlining the shell with his tongue, pulling the lobe into his mouth and suckling on it. They were still locked together, neither one of them wanting to separate. He could feel himself softening and slowly slipping free from her wet tunnel, her internal muscles kept pulling at him, trying to prevent his exit as well. They both made disappointed noises when he was completely free of her.

"I'm exhausted." He pulled her around to face him, their limbs untangling from one another until their foreheads were rubbing and their cheeks were sharing a pillow.

"Loving me is very tiring." She kissed him, giving her mouth time to explore his. Their tongues glided over one another. The post coital high left them both short of breath.

"I'll never get tired of doing it though." He caressed her face, his fingers exploring all the dips and planes. "Sleep, Kahlan."

She closed her eyes and tried to let her body give into the exhaustion of her day. Something was preventing her from falling into the deep, restful sleep that she'd been getting recently. What was missing?

"I can't sleep." She yawned after the words left her lips.

"What's wrong?" He was about to drift off into a deep slumber, but he was forcing himself to make sure she slept first.

"I..." She looked up at him, "I think I need Mara. Is that... is that silly?"

"No, needing her is understandable." He kissed her nose. "I'll go get her."

She watched as he pulled on his pants and walked out of the room. She stared at the door, for what seemed like hours, but couldn't have been longer than a few minutes, waiting for it to open again and for him to have their daughter in his arms.

The door finally creaked open and she saw his giant smile before the small mass of baby cuddled in his arms.

"What did Cara say?" She was curious to the woman's response to him coming to get the baby. He settled back in next to her, placing Mara between them. Everything in her body seemed to calm. The little person now sleeping next to her and her husband on the other side was everything she needed to relax into a deep sleep.

"She said that I lasted longer than she was expecting and that it was always a good sign when the Seeker was able to discover the joy of multiple orgasms for his wife. She then made a crack about me being the one true seeker in the last three thousand years, but I just ignored her and picked up the baby." Both of them were chuckling at Cara's words. "On my way out, she said that next time she'd be ready to keep her almost all night and that after that we might be okay with not having her for a full night and she couldn't wait until we could learn to not be so codependent."

"Cara knows us too well." Kahlan put her arm under her pillow and snuggled in for the night.

"I'm glad she realizes how good I am in bed." He waited for her clever retort but saw that she'd already drifted into sleep. He smiled and mirrored her position, Mara sleeping soundly between them, letting his body follow his wife into slumber. He followed her lead in everything else, why not now too? At least he was used to taking orders and direction.

The End


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